A Home where Style and Comfort Meet in Asmali Mescit: Ecotone

As one of the symbolic neighborhoods of Istanbul, Asmali Mescit is a favorite place to spend time for everyone, from tourists to locals.

With the sounds of music coming to your ears from the lively, crowded entertainment venues as you move along its narrow sidewalks, friendly cats brushing against your legs, and good-humored shopkeepers smiling at you, this neighborhood combines the historical texture of Beyoglu with its modern façade.

Standing firm against the face of the urban transformation frenzy in recent years with its legacies and historical richness, this neighborhood harbors a unique two-store flat with a separate terrace on each floor. When we first encountered this gem, we immediately knew we could create a remarkable and surprising result in the interior design process.

In order to reflect how Asmali Mescit is bringing the past and the present together, we thought that the name of our flat should be inspired by this fact. Thus, we decided on Ecotone, meaning "a transition zone between two biological communities". Likewise, based on the meaning of this word, we decided to apply different interior design concepts to each floor.

The Confluence of Anatolia and the Far East

When you step through the entrance, a warm and welcoming Anatolian theme greets you. We mainly tried to select pieces with traditional Anatolian motifs and images. The wooden dining table and the china cabinet offer guests a nostalgic and familiar sentiment with the help of deep-neutral-toned furniture.

As you go upstairs, the style shifts into something completely different than downstairs. We tried to create the comfort of a suite with a balanced, serene and “zen” atmosphere, adopting the Far Eastern theme. The tiger-print blinds and bamboo plants placed on the sides of the bed offer an Asian-inspired visual feast to anyone who sets foot in the room, while the brighter colors of the seating area help to provide a friendly and modern sense.

Although we tried to emphasize the importance of efficient and sustainable design by re-functioning second-hand furniture throughout the house and giving it life again, we also wanted to ensure continuity in the overall design of the flat by matching these pieces with new and trendy furniture.

A careful eye can easily interpret and admire the relationship between the location, name, and interior design of the flat when they put all the pieces together touring.

We have provided all the necessary details so guests will feel at home and want to spend time inside the flat as well, aside from just exploring around Istanbul. As Missafir, we made sure to construct a living space that is useful as well as elegant, like how we do in each one of our flats.